A blog of the Center for Judicial Ethics of the National Center for State Courts

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Throwback Thursday

Adopting the recommendation of the Commission on Judicial Performance, the Mississippi Supreme Court reprimanded a judge and fined him $500 for (1) at the request of third parties, finding 13 defendants not guilty without a trial, hearing, or notice to the arresting officers; (2) allowing clerical personnel to dismiss non-moving violations at the request of or with the agreement of the issuing officer; (3) allowing clerks and officers to dismiss 109 tickets without a trial or hearing; and (4) dismissing 14 cases, both moving and non-moving violations, by marking not guilty on the court records without a trial or hearing, based on ex parte proceedings or without any appearance of the defendant. In re Seal, 585 So. 2d 741 (Mississippi 1991).